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Combined Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Gentamicin Promotes Liver Toxicity Through Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Apoptotic Pathways: In Vivo and In Silico Studies
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Scientists found that when rats were exposed to tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) together with a common antibiotic called gentamicin, their livers showed more damage than exposure to either one alone—including increased stress, inflammation, and cell death in liver tissue. This matters because it suggests that everyday exposure to plastic pollution might make certain medications more harmful to our organs, though more research is needed to confirm this happens in humans too.
Human exposure to nanoplastics and antibiotics is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern; however, the potential impacts of their combined exposure on human health remain poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the hepatotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PsNPs) and gentamicin (GEN), administered alone or in combination, and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms using both in vivo and in silico approaches. Our findings demonstrated that co-exposure to PsNPs and GEN induces combined treatment response in liver by triggering oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis responses, associated with a dysregulation of genes related to oxidative stress (NRF2), inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1β), and apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-9, and caspase-3). Molecular docking analyses further supported these observations by revealing strong binding affinities of nanoplastics with key proteins involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. Our results revealed that co-exposure of adult rats to PsNPs and GEN induces an adverse effect on hepatic function. This study provides new evidence on the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and pharmaceutical pollutants on liver function, suggesting a potential co-exposure-associated effect interaction between these contaminants.
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Researchers co-exposed rats to polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic gentamicin and found that the combination caused significantly greater kidney damage than either substance alone, amplifying oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial apoptosis in a synergistic manner.
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Researchers examined the combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin on mouse liver cells and found that co-exposure was significantly more harmful than either contaminant alone. The nanoplastics acted as carriers that increased antibiotic accumulation inside cells, amplifying oxidative damage and disrupting key protective enzymes. The study highlights that nanoplastics in the environment can worsen the toxicity of co-occurring pollutants like antibiotics.
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Researchers used a mouse model to study what happens when microplastics contaminated with antibiotics are ingested together, simulating real-world food chain exposure. The study found that the combination caused enhanced oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in the liver compared to either pollutant alone. The findings suggest that microplastics carrying adsorbed antibiotics may pose a greater threat to liver health than microplastics or antibiotics individually.
Synergistic Toxicity of Combined Exposure to Acrylamide and Polystyrene Nanoplastics on the Gut–Liver Axis in Mice
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Researchers exposed mice to a combination of acrylamide, a common food processing byproduct, and polystyrene nanoplastics through drinking water and found that the combined exposure caused more severe gut and liver damage than either substance alone. The co-exposure disrupted gut barrier integrity, altered gut bacteria composition, and caused widespread metabolic changes. The study suggests that the interaction between nanoplastics and other food contaminants may amplify health risks beyond what each poses individually.
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Mice exposed to both nanoplastics and arsenic together, common pollutants that can show up in food and water, suffered worse gut and liver damage than expected, including a weakened gut barrier, disrupted gut bacteria, and increased inflammation. This suggests that real-world exposure to multiple pollutants at once may pose greater health risks than studying each one alone would predict.
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